Why is this happening? Thoughts on Gun Violence in the United States

Why does this keep happening? This fall it seems as if once a week a notification pops up on my phone notifying me of another shooting. 3 dead. 2 dead. 4 dead, 2 wounded. And it goes on and on. Next, Obama is making a speech addressing the need for gun control and that prayers are no longer enough. Following this, political figures flood social media with comments on this violence such as, “Stuff Happens” or “If it were me, I would not stand there and let him shoot me.” Of course, many have comments of sincerity, yet where is the action? 986 mass shootings have occurred since Sandy Hook. 986. By now, I imagine that number is close to 1000 and the situation remains stagnant. I then look at my city. Cleveland, Ohio. This fall it seems every time the Plain Dealer is delivered to my house the front-page showcases yet another shooting. Children shot in drive-by shootings, a woman found dead, a man found dead. Enough is enough! When will there be change and what will it take? I ponder this question the whole day, which also means that 289 people have been shot in the past 24 hours. This is reality…. What are we going to do to fix it?